Electromagnetic switching device



April lO, 1934. K. MULLER 1,954,092

ELECTROMAGNETIC SWITCHING DEVICE Filed Feb. 24, 1932 Kat-wad Muller Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,95 ELECTROMAGNETIC Konrad Miiller, Berlinassignor to Siemen schaft, Wernerwerk, S Germany SWITCHING DEVICE Siemensstadt, Germany, & Halske Aktiengeselliemensstadt, near Berlin,

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to an electromagnetic switching device suitable for use in tele phone or like systems in which signals are sent by means of trains of electrical impulses which serve to bring about step-by-step operation of the device. Such a device may be employed advantageously in telephone systems in connection with a switch having movement in one direction only which is required to connect with an idle line of a particular group, in this case the switching devices will respond to a series of impulses and in accordance with its setting effect a marking to indicate the group concerned.

The invention contemplates the use of an electromagnetic structure substantially similar to that of a relay of the type ordinarily employed in telephone systems but provided in addition with ratchet and pawl mechanism for giving rotary motion to a shaft which carries a brush or wiper arranged to wipe over a set of fixed contacts. The shaft may also carry suitable cams arranged to operate contact springs in predetermined positions and if desired the armature may also effect the direct operation of additional contact springs in the manner of an ordinary relay. The chief object of the invention is to produce a stepby-step switch of the character indicated which will occupy only a small mounting space, while still being reliable in operation and providing for the necessary number of circuit changes.

According to the invention an electromagnet is adapted to operate pawl and ratchet mechanism to rotate a vertical shaft which is mounted above the magnet while the armature and contact springs directly operated thereby are mounted on opposite sides of the magnet.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of one method of carrying it into effect which should be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing comprising Figs. 1-4. With the mounting arrangement usually adopted in which the plane of the contact springs is vertical, Fig. 1 represents a plan view of the device, Figs. 2 and 3 are elevations from the top and bottom of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 is an end view.

The electromagnet comprises a winding 1 which is wound around a flat core 2, the left-hand end of which is bent over as shown to facilitate the mounting of the device. This extended end also provides a bearing for the armature 3 and in addition serves to support the various contact springs 4 which are provided with soldering tags 5. The projecting end of the core 2 furthermore serves as a mounting for the supporting member 6 which provides a bearing for the shaft 8 and contact bank 12. The armature 3 comprises a flat plate of the shape shown and substantially the dimensions of the coil and carries a pawl 7 arranged to co-operate with a ratchet wheel 13. In the arrangement shown the shaft 8 also carries the cam discs 9 which are given suitable contour for operating associated contact springs in the desired positions. The shaft 8 has attached to it at its upper end the wiper 10 which is double-ended, one end bearing on the various contacts 11 and the other on the semi-circular feed segment 14 which are mounted on the insulating disc 12.

The operation of the device is that each time armature 3 is attracted, pawl 7 advances ratchet wheel 13 one step thereby moving wiper 10 from one of the contacts 11 to the next. The springs directly controlled by the armature will be operated on each energization of the magnet and those controlled by the cam discs in positions determined by the contour of the cams.

The arrangement according to the invention whereby the contact springs are located on one side of the coil and the armature on the other side while the shaft is mounted vertically with the wiper and corresponding contacts on top gives an extremely compact arrangement while allowing the maximum accessibility for inspection or adjustment.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a circuit switching mechanism, a supporting member comprising a flat iron bar having a small portion thereof bent at right angles to the major portion thereof and serving as the means by which said mechanism may be mounted on other equipment, a coil wound about a portion of said bar to form the operating magnet of said mechanism, other apparatus fixed to said supporting member adjacent the point at which said member is bent; said apparatus including an auxiliary member extending alongside said supporting member and having on the free end thereof a ratchet equipped rotatable shaft equipped with wipers and a co-operative set of fixed contacts, and also including a pawl equipped armature arranged to drive said ratchet wheel and wipers upon excitation of said magnet.

2. In a switching device, a bank of fixed contacts, rotatable wipers co-operative with said contacts; a shaft, on which said wipers are secured, having a ratchet wheel thereon; a support for all of said specified elements comprising an electromagnet, and a pawl equipped armature ther portion thereof is bent at an angle with respect to said first portions and serves as the mounting means of the entire mechanism.

4. In a switching mechanism, a double ended- Wiper, a bank of contacts comprising contacts engaged successively by one end of said wiper and including a contact continuously engaged by the other end of said wiper during successive engagement of contacts by the one end or" said wiper until all of them have been encountered, said continuously engaged contact being then continuously engaged by the first-mentioned end of said wiper while the other end thereof successively engages said contacts.

5 In a circuit control and switching device, a core having a winding thereon to form an operating magnet for said device; a member secured to said core, arranged alongside said magnet, and having the configuration of a U at its free end; a disk of insulating material, having a circle of fixed contacts thereon, fixed to one portion of the U; a rotatable shaft, passing through bearing holes in the U portion of said member, wipers on said shaft arranged in operative relation to said fixed contacts, a ratchet wheel on said shaft for use in rotating it; cams on said shaft in operative relation to contact springs, also mounted upon said core; and a pawl equipped armature also mounted on said core in co-operative relation to said magnet and ratchet wheel and operated upon energization of said magnet to operate said wipers and cams.

6. In an electromagnetic switching assembly, the combination of a magnet having all of the switching mechanism secured on one side thereof and having the driving mechanism for the switching mechanism secured on the opposite side thereof, with both said mechanisms arranged at the front end of said magnet.

7. In an electromagnetic switching mechanism, the combination of a magnet having a fiat core on which is mounted in a single pile-up, the armature, the required contact springs and the support for other parts of the mechanism; such other parts including a wiper and a set of bank contacts, as well as other contacts and earns for operating them.

KONRAD iiLLER. 

